unrest

noun

un·​rest ˌən-ˈrest How to pronounce unrest (audio)
: a disturbed or uneasy state : turmoil

Examples of unrest in a Sentence

The country has experienced years of civil unrest. unrest gripped the city as the people nervously awaited the expected bombardment
Recent Examples on the Web His tenure was mired in controversy and plagued by civil unrest. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 Political unrest almost always makes its way into the Oscars, including the red carpet. Joyce Lau, Washington Post, 11 Mar. 2024 The civil unrest led to the cancellation of international flights into Haiti, and the country has been declared a no-go zone for charter pilots. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 Some of the purchases in 2020 came as Milwaukee and other cities experienced civil unrest as protests in response to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police spread nationally. Alison Dirr, Journal Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2024 But some fared better than others thanks to the labor unrest, according to half-a-dozen industry watchers and awards experts who spoke with Variety. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 22 Feb. 2024 Four years ago the Democratic field was more crowded, there was a global pandemic and the country was engulfed in social unrest. Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024 Father and son barely talk anymore, their relationship icy, their differences symbolic of a national rift made violently clear during the unrest more than two years ago: While many demand radical change, others ardently embrace tradition and the monarchy. John Eligon Joao Silva, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2024 Most critically for the FAA, the decrease in the number of air controllers and their job dissatisfaction (over low pay and long, stressful hours) was obvious to anyone who looked at the multiple stories of unrest in the industry over the past four decades. Peter Georgescu, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unrest.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unrest was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near unrest

Cite this Entry

“Unrest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unrest. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unrest

noun
un·​rest ˌən-ˈrest How to pronounce unrest (audio)
ˈən-
: lack of rest : a disturbed or uneasy state : turmoil

More from Merriam-Webster on unrest

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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